Mugen and the man on the moon
by Sonny Oliver
Summary: Mugen is off to find a lost treasure
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

**At least I got chicken**

"You have got to be kidding me old man" yelled Mugen. "That was only three pieces not five" he said pointing to the sticks on his plate. "I'm not paying that price" folding his arms, Mugen gave the inn keeper a look of mock justification. Then suddenly noticing something, Mugen moved his foot to hide the other two sticks under his reinforced metal sandal.

The inn keeper caught this and held his ground "You pay or I'll call the authorities!"

Seeing the commotion from their table, four men stood up, each armed with katanas, each ready to attack Mugen if the need arose. The dust of the road had caked their feet and clothing, the smell of a long days walk was evident as an afternoon breeze blew through the room. Each one had a look that they were committed to a task when undertaken, leaving no doubt that they were samurai.

Mugen peeled a wicked grin "and what exactly are you fellas gonna to do?" he said, picking his teeth with one of the chicken sticks from his plate.

The entire room became still, everyone was staring at the scene, waiting for something to happen. A few of the patrons snapped out of the initial shock and quickly made their way out the front door.

"One of you, call the constable, hurry" said the inn keeper to the small group of patrons making their escape.

The room was still again. Mugen leaned over to an empty table and began to eat what they left behind. The four men moved into positions surrounding the table that Mugen was having his little feast.

"Pay the inn keeper and we'll let you go" said one of the samurai. His voice was calm and sure.

_This one's hanging a solid pair. Better keep an eye out on that one, _Mugen thought to himself.

All four samurai were dressed in the same dark blue kimonos. Mugen noticed they all wore the same symbol on their back, possibly their clan or their lord's mark. Three of them wore their heads shaved with a top knot. The fourth one that spoke to Mugen was young and tied his long hair up in a pony tail.

Mugen took quick stock of the men and found the weakest link to be the samurai who couldn't control his fear. The samurai's eyes were constantly shifting back and forth as well as repeatedly changing his grip on his weapon.

_You're the one, you're my bitch_, Mugen thought, drawing his blade.

"Okay fellas, here's the deal. If you can hit me, I'll pay the old man" the inn keeper smiled at the prospect and stood back to watch. "But I guarantee you that you won't, in fact, I can promise you that each and everyone one of you will leave here missing a top knot, especially you pretty boy" he said, pointing his blade at the young samurai.

At that the young samurai moved so fast it nearly took Mugen by surprise. He just had enough time to parry the young samurai's swing which would've certainly have been fatal. The rest of the samurai all took swings, each one being dodged or parried by Mugen who opened his attack by deftly cutting the nervous samurai's top knot and kicking him in his crotch, all while doing a spinning handstand with his free hand. The struck samurai crumpled to the floor groaning in pain.

The young samurai was on him again, each swing getting closer to the mark, but never enough to actually hit.

Mugen swung again, severing another samurai's top knot which flew into the mouth of a charging samurai making him choke and pause his attack. Executing a spinning kick, Mugen dislocated the newly scalped samurai's jaw then grabbed the choking samurai by his nose and mouth, denying him the ability to breath, which threw the samurai into a panic. Mugen tossed the man into the kitchen where screams and the sounds of a grease fire left Mugen wondering if the man's top knot was fried or broiled.

His thoughts were cut short by the young samurai's relentless attacks that seemed to be getting faster and deadlier with each swing.

He had put Mugen on the defensive and had actually managed to kick Mugen through one of the Inn's lower windows leaving him to roll in the dusty street.

"There, I hit you" said the young samurai walking into the street. "If you are man of honor, you will keep your promise and pay the old man."

"Why, aren't we a stickler for rules" Mugen replied, kipping up into the standing position. "I guess it's a good thing for me that I'm not an honorable man. But I'll tell you what, I do keep my promises, so here" he said tossing the old man a pouch that he had pilfered off one of the samurai during the fight.

The inn keeper smiled pulling coin from the purse. A look of realization came over him and he quickly ran into his restaurant and shut the doors and windows.

"And seeing that I do keep my promises" Mugen pointed at the young samurai's top knot. "I think were not done yet, boy."

The young samurai sighed and then assumed a combat stance with his blade.

Mugen was familiar with the stance, but after the fight in the inn, he wasn't about to assume anything when it came to this kid. The kid was really good and kind of reminded him of a skinny samurai who wore glasses that…

And once again his train of thought was pushed back in his mind with the necessity for survival. The kid's opening attack came out of nowhere. The young samurai's following strikes and ripostes kept Mugen on the defensive, allowing no room for error. Entrance curtains, wheel barrels, even fences were being torn asunder as the young samurai pressed his attack on Mugen.

_I hate to do it but..._

Flipping over a well, Mugen kicked the contents of the water pail into the young samurai's face, giving him just enough time to sever the cords of the samurai's kimono.

_Let's see if he likes to fight naked,_ Mugen thought to himself landing on the opposite side of the well.

Then there was a scream from the crowd.

_Did I hit him too hard? I probably killed him. Oh well, he was a good fight. Hate to see it end; _he thought turning around and seeing what the crowd was seeing.

Mugen's vision narrowed on a pair of firm supple breasts which were quickly being hidden by the young samurai, who was re-working her torn kimono to hide her endowments.

Mugen stood motionless, his lower jaw quickly losing the battle with gravity.

The girl finally finished working on her wardrobe malfunction, the result; her breasts barely covered by the remaining silk and her bare stomach left open to reveal tattoos covering most of her sleek, muscled abdomen. Mugen knew what the tattoos represented, wearing similar ones himself.

_Two with one stone_, Mugen thought to himself.

"Stop, you are under arrest!" cried a voice from down the street. It was the constable and his guards. They were running towards the scene, weapons in hand.

"Sorry babe, but I can't stay" Mugen said, sheathing his sword.

"Really" she replied raising her arms slowly with a weird smile, like she knew something he didn't.

Mugen turned to see a line of guards all armed with matchlock rifles, all pointing at the two of them.

_I could probably dodge most of their shots, but the two shooters on the left._ Mugen saw the shooters eyes and recognized confidence and experience in both of them. Either one of them could probably shoot him dead at double the distance they were currently at.

"Son of a Bitch!"

Mugen raised his arms just in time for the guards to push him to the dirt and start kicking him.

"That's enough" said the constable. "Tie them both up and bring them to the station. I have a few questions I'd like to ask them, especially you young lady."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Subtlety and the art of Seduction

Mugen and the tattooed woman were bound in ropes, their wrists and necks were connected to a long rope that was tied to the saddle of a horse which was leading them both to the police station at the edge of the city. Being a sailor, Mugen had to admire the knot work the guards did to accomplish the convict tether that was currently around their necks.

Mugen turned his attention to the woman who was walking next to him. _How in the world could I miss that_, he thought to himself. He looked at her face and the answer was clear. Half a false moustache hung limply on her mouth, Mugen had cut it by accident when he tore through her clothing with his sword. He did this while spinning through air over, a well. His landing was greeted with a shocking surprise.

Realizing what Mugen was staring at, the woman attempted to rip the remainder of her false moustache off without success. It was difficult with her wrists bound and the primary tether of the restraints constantly pulling her forward.

"You probably used a little too much bonding gum" Mugen said. "I've had my experience of disguises and believe me, that stuff is a bitch to get off."

Ignoring him, she continued her work with the mustache in silence.

After a few attempts she finally completed her task revealing the face of a comely young woman. Almost as if on cue, a breeze picked up, blowing her soft dark hair in an eerie, slow motion pattern. Some of the guards took note and just started to stare at her as they walked. One guard fell off a small bridge, because he wasn't watching where he was going. Strangely, the procession seemed to pay the missing guard no mind and continued to move over the bridge and on.

Even Mugen had to appreciate her natural beauty. There was no make up to hide her perfect skin, the soft curves of her body could now be seen between the makeshift wraps of silk which previously held her bosom tight, giving her just barely enough masculine quality to appear as a young boy.

But now, with the wraps gone, her qualities of a woman could be seen in an almost indecent manner. _She is probably one of the best fighters I've gone up against in a long time, _Mugen thought to himself, as he spied her tight muscles glistening with perspiration from the fight. He always had a great respect for someone who could hold their own in a fight, especially in a fight against him. That and the ropes holding her bondage gave Mugen a growing tightness in his loin cloth which he could not hide.

_Damn these ropes. Please don't look down. Please._

Somehow one of the guards happened to notice Mugen's growing tightness and broke out laughing. To make matters worse, he came up behind Mugen, and with the flat of his scabbard, slapped Mugen's backside. The contact made Mugen's member grow to almost double its size.

"Whoa! He likes that" the guard said, sending the other guards into a fit of laughter.

"You are so dead" cried Mugen. "I'm killing you first, you piece of shit!"

"Sergeant Hatori! This is not a side show" it was the constable, he road back to see what was going on. "I see any of you doing that again and you will join them in restraints, do you understand?"

At that, the entire formation stopped what they were doing and faced the constable.

"Yes" they all responded in unison. This was followed by a bow and then silence for the rest of the trip.

During the incident the girl just smiled.

The formation moved uneventful for a few more minutes and then Mugen turned to the girl.

"I'm getting outta here" he whispered.

A minute later he continued "When we reach the gates, I'm gonna need a distraction. You seem pretty good at doing that" he said, moving closer to her. "I need to get as close to the guy pulling your rope as possible, he has my sword." The girl looked up and noticed the guard did indeed have Mugen's sword strapped to his back.

The guard that swatted Mugen's backside noticed that the two were whispering and moved in closer to break it up.

"Hey, stop whispering or I'll bust your teeth in" said the guard pushing Mugen away from the girl.

Mugen turned to the guard and in a calm voice said "Remember…your first."

The girl slowly turned to Mugen and smiled. That was a _yes_ in his book.

A few minutes more and they were at the gates to the city. The jailhouse, where they would be interrogated wouldn't be too far from that point.

Just then the girl fell to the ground and was being dragged. The guard on the horse pulling her stopped and turned around to see what was going on. Mugen moved in and grabbed the end of his scabbard. The guard wearing his sword pulled it away easily, laughing. Mugen then pulled hard and the dagger concealed in the butt end of his scabbard came free, much to the shock of the guard holding the sword.

In one fluid movement, Mugen cut the primary tether around his neck and impaled the groin of the guard who was approaching him from behind.

"I told you, you'd be first" Mugen said, twisting and the ripping out the guard's bowels with a second slice.

Grabbing the guard's sword, Mugen threw it to the girl who used it on her primary tether and then to sever the guard's leg who was holding Mugen's sword. Blood sprayed the area as the guard sat limp in the saddle.

What happened next could only be described as a dance of death, with Mugen reunited with his sword and the girl both, cutting down any and all that came within weapons reach. Back to back their skill as a team was amazing, kicking, spinning, moving effortlessly as if the two had done this before. After leaving a moaning circle of dead and dying, the pair made their escape towards the woods.

By the time the rifle column was ready to fire, the bloody duo had disappeared into the nearby forest, dodging bullets that whizzed by the trees.

The next hour was spent chasing the girl through the woods. Mugen was once again taken by surprise by the girl's limitless endurance as the two of them ran through streams, climbed hills and slalomed trees in order to create distance between them and the city guards.

Finally after four hours of non-stop running, the girl stopped to rest. Mugen bent over feeling like he was going to vomit, but there was nothing inside his stomach to come out.

He had to respect this girl's stamina; the only thing that kept him going was the thought that a girl was going to beat him. Breathing deeper he watched the girl stretch, feeling that familiar pressure return.

A few miles earlier they had reached a stream and the girl dove in allowing the blood from the previous battle to wash away from her perfect flesh. Mugen joined her, but as soon as he made his way near her she got up and she was off and running again. He called her a 'Bitch' but she didn't seem to hear him, and even if she did, she was a machine. Nothing seemed to stop her constant motion. All Mugen could do was tag along and hope there was a break in the near future.

"Why are you following me" she asked, as she finished her stretches. "It's obvious that you are a lone wolf type, lone wave, take your pick. What do you want?"

Mugen nodded his head. "Well it was gonna come out anyway" he said, making himself comfortable on a moss covered tree log. He then pointed at her stomach.

"I want half of the treasure."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

T. Honda and the Long Con

"Three things gave you away, one: when I saw you in the inn before the fight you were all wearing these" he said, pointing to the symbol on the upper back portion of her kimono. "I personally know that symbol, having followed some fool samurai for half a year that was actually from that clan.

"His fighting style is completely different from yours. Now, granted, having a different fighting style isn't an unusual thing to possess coming from the same house, but having four distinct styles in the same group?"

The girl sat next to Mugen on the log, all the while listening to his conspiracy theory.

"Two" he said, lifting two of his fingers to demonstrate his point: "All four of you had mud caked sandals. This is normal for a lordless samurai, we see it every day. However, you bore the mark of a noble house. There is no way in the world you would've walked into an eating establishment with dirty feet. You would've cleaned them at the door. Once again, freaky samurai guy that I previously mentioned."

"He sounded like a pain in the ass" replied the girl, smiling. She was neither; agreeing or denying his current accusations, which made Mugen continue.

"And three: though at first glance, your tattoos might look yakuza, they are not. If this was a yakuza tattoo" he said pointing to her lower stomach region "it would've covered your entire torso."

"I could've been a bad yakuza and not earned a full body suit yet" she interjected.

"Not possible. Your skill with the blade and your full complement of ten fingers rules that out. No. That my dear, is what we, from the Ryuku islands call, a T. mark" he finished, moving closer to her tattoos to get a better look.

She smiled at Mugen and then proceeded to do the customary slow clap, acknowledging that what he just said could be all true.

"So according to you, these tattoos are actually an authentic T. Honda treasure marker, is that it?"

She was secretly impressed with his perception. _How can a pirate like you have so much insight_, she thought.

Smiling, he made a move to touch one of her tattoos "Babe, I knew you were a con the moment I walked through the door of that inn."

She let him touch it, which immediately ignited that good old pressure feeling in Mugen.

"So tell me Mugen, what is it that you think you know about Toshiro Honda's hidden treasure" she said, softly caressing his neck.

She was doing it again, and it was working. Moving away from her, Mugen changed the subject.

"You first" he said pulling out of her embrace. "First of all, how about a name?" He had been calling her everything under the sun, the two most popular were _Hey you_ or _Bitch, slow down!_

She thought about it for a second and then finally said "Sakura".

"Sakura, that's a pretty name" he said with a grin. "Well Sakura, as you probably already know every child growing up in the Ryuku is familiar with the legend of T. Honda's treasure. As the legend goes, Toshiro Honda was a Buddhist monk who converted to Christianity when the Portuguese arrived a few years back. During his many missionary journeys, Honda came across mystical artifact known as the demon tooth of Prana. The tooth was said to have come from an actual demon and possessed magical powers, one of which was the power of battle prowess. The possessor of the tooth could never die in battle. There was a price however, the holder of the tooth was constantly filled with the rage of the demon the tooth belong too and would constantly find ways to get back to the tooth's master, taking the most dangerous route possible. T. Honda realizing this followed the tooth back to a hidden location where the wealth of a hundred kingdoms rested. The journey to the hidden treasure was treacherous and filled with danger. The quest change Honda in such a way, he could never be the man he was before. It was said that the moment Honda gazed on the fantastic riches, he broke his Christian vows and became one of the most ruthless pirates to sail the Ryuku."

Mugen paused; he liked that part about Honda. As a kid he grew up pretending he was Honda and his crews were capturing treasure to place in their hidden fortress. Suddenly he lost his train of thought and he couldn't remember the next part of the story. He was confident that it had something to do with markers but he couldn't get the order right.

"I'll continue" said Sakura, who had moved close to him once again. "After many years, Honda realized that he wasn't going to live forever, so he came up with a plan to make a way for his treasure to be found by his ancestors. The plan involved creating five markers, each one showing the way to the next. The final marker would lead you to the demon tooth of Prana which would show the bearer of the tooth the location of the hidden treasure. According to legend, the first marker came in the form of a magical tattoo which was placed on twins that were separated at an early age. The tattoo would magically grow with the twins as they aged. The marker was impossible to decipher without both twins and their tattoos matching up." She finished the story and went silent as if she was thinking about something important but then forgot what she was about to say.

"So you are one of the legendary Honda twins" Mugen said finally.

She nodded slowly as if letting him in on a secret. The girl stepped off the log and stared into the forest as if she was thinking about something important.

"Whether or not I believe you doesn't really matter at this point, what I really want to know is what you need me for? If you really are a Honda twin, you have half of the first marker already, so how do I fit in with all this" Mugen said waiting for her to respond.

She remained silent.

"You know, come to think about it, all this running away from the constable only made something more obvious to me. We are not running away from someone, we are running too someone, and at the speed were going, we are on a deadline. I'm right am I?"

She turned around to face him and nodded. "In fact, we should be going pretty soon before it's too late" she said, tightening her top for another run.

"Wait, I'm not going anywhere until you answer my question. Why do you need me?"

Finishing her travel preparations she stood up.

"I need you Mugen because you are the only one in the world that can find my twin brother."


End file.
